Mechanical ski toy



Aug. 28, [90

MECHANICAL SKI TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 12, 1947 INVENTOR.

4 GLA 0C0 POL! ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1951 G. POL! MECHANICAL SKI TOY 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1947 &

INVENTOR. v GLAUCO POL! BY W ATTORNEY l atented Aug. 28, 1951 MECHANICALSKI TOY Glauco Poli, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor of one-half to RuthKaplan, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 12, 1947, Serial No. 773,623

This invention relates to an improved self propelling figure toy.

More particularly the invention relates to a toy which is constructed soas to simulate a skier, and which moves over a horizontal or slightlyinclined surface by successive movements of ground engagin polesoperated by a spring operated mechanism housed in the body of the toyskier figure.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a toy skier figurewith a body which is constructed so as to simulate a skier in a normalpartly crouched position. Such a skier figure is supported upon skishaving a rolling action on the floor or ground and provides movablespring operated arms and poles supported thereby, which arms and poleshave a repeated pushing action against the ground or other supportingsurface ing a reduction gear train so arranged that its ,friction actsas an escapement for the unwind- "ing of the spring motor. The toy skieris further provided with a crank arm which is connected to pivotallysupported arms of the figure by means of a link so arranged that aswinging motion is imparted to the arms and to the propelling groundpoles carried thereby.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective view, showing the skier in motion producingposition.

Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation of the skier figure, partly brokenaway, to illustrate the spring motor and the drive for the arm swingingshaft.

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevational view, shown partly in verticalsection, illustrating the position of one of the arms and its propellingpole.

Fig. 4 is a detail enlarged sectional view of the 3 Claims. (01. 46-107) spring motor, showing the crank shaft andconnecting pitman drivefor the swinging arms. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of one of the skis.Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged sectional view, showing bearing members forthe arm swing shaft, of a modified construction, taken on line 6-6 ofFig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line of Fig.3. The self propelling toy, according to the pres- .ent invention,includes a body [0 simulating the simulate a skier in the naturalposition of proelling himself over the ground by pushing hand carriedpoles against the ground.

The legs II are shown with their upper or hip portions bent at arearward angle to themselves, thus disposing the figure in asemi-crouching position to simulate the natural position of a skierengaged in propelling himself over the ground by the manual operation ofpushing poles. The feet 16 are secured by means of fasteners I! to theskis l8 and I9. These skis are shown to be formed of plastic or sheetmetal, which may be aluminum or other metal, and provided with a forwardend portion 20, which is curved upwardly. 7 Each ski has two wheels l8mounted to turn in slots lB on shafts l8.

The body In is of hollow construction to provide a compartment in whicha spring motor 2! is housed. This toy spring motor includes the metalframe 22 rotatively supporting a main spring arbor or shaft 23 whichturns in bearings of the frame 22, and which shaft 23 carries the spring24 and the drive gear 25. The drive gear 25 drives the pinion 26 of theshaft 2? which also turns in bearings of the frame22 and is providedwith a crank arm 28 on one end thereof. The

shaft 21 carries a transmission gear 29 which engagesthe pinion 30 onthe shaft 3| and this shaft 3| carries a gear 32, which drives thepinion 33 .on the shaft 34. All of the shafts turn in bearings of theframe 22. The shaft 34 has a gear 3 which drives the pinion 34 A shaft35 is also mounted to turn in the bearings of the frame 22, and isprovided on its outer ends with squared portions 36 and 31 On the endportion 36 of the shaft 35, the arm [4 is mounted, the same beingconnected thereto to swing with the shaft 35 and not upon it. On theopposite end portion 31 of the shaft 35, the arm M is mounted to swingwith the shaft and not independently of the shaft.

The shaft 35 is provided with a short lateral arm or lug 40 which iskeyed thereto against relative turning, and the upper end of the pitmanor link'rod A vpivotally c nne e t 2 to said arm or lug 40. The lowerend of the pitman or link rod 4| is pivotally mounted on the crank arm28.

One outer end of the spring arbor or shaft :23 projects outwardly of thebody and is squared to receive a winding key.

The arms l4 and Ill swing against the sides of the body In and arewholly supported on the ends of the shaft 35, to which they areinterlocked against relative ,turning. Each of'these arms is equippedwith a gloved hand 43, which isconneete dthereto, as by the pivot pin'41. Qn each hand, a" pushing pole 45 is secured' "Thelower' end of eachpushing pole is provided with a sheath lfi'of leather or other fric..

tional material. The square portions 38 and 31 'of the shaft 35 aredisposed in the same angular relations to each'other and 'to the bodyI'll, so that the lower end of one of the arms will engage the groundorfloor at the same time with the lower end of the other arm. The lowerends a of both poles engage the ground or floor outvvardl'y of the outersides of the skis, so as not to interfere with the movement of the wheelequipped'skis over-the ground or floor.

" 'If desired the square portions 36 and 31 may also be disposed indifierentangular relations to eachother so that the lower end of one arm'will engage the ground or floor before the lower end ofthe other armand by means of this arrangement one pole will start its pushing orpropelling stroke when the other pole hasreached a point (nearly thelimit of" its own pushing stroke. By winding the spring, energy will bestored up and the gear train will be started in motion, thereby drivingthe' crank shaft and oscillating the rock shaft 35. To insure an easymotion to this rock shaft, metal bearings 41 are proyided in the body Ill therefor. The connection between each arm and the rock shaft may in-.-1Lld a metal sleeve 48, having an integral disc conar 48*, by which itis interlocked or cemented to the u er end of the ar 5 ha the awill'notbe displaced on the end of the rock ha t When the rock shaft 35is oscillated by the action of the pitman or link rod' 4|,the squareportions 36 and 3'! will be swung back and forth, andas they are swung,the" lower ends of the poles 45 will be forced against the ground orfloor, and the toy will be propelled forwardly, thus simulating thenatural movements of a skier. While I have illustrated and described thepreferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I donot limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and theright'is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within'thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecur'e'by United States Letters Patent is:

' 1. In a self-propelling toy having a pair of laterallyspaced skisprovided with wheels to roll on a flat surface, a rigid one-piece bodyfixedly mounted on the skis and formed with an internal hollow, armspivotally mounted at the sides of the body to pivot on a horizontalaxis, a motor mounted within the hollow of said body, meansinterconnecting said arms and said motor for oscillating the arms to andfro along the sides of the body, hand members freely pivotally mountedon the free ends of said arms to pivot in a vertical plane relative tosaid arms, and ski poles depending rigidly from said hand members andhaving their free ends frictionally engaging the flat surface alongside0f the skis to push the toy in a forward direction as said arms areoscillated to and fro.

2. Ina self-propelling toy having a pair of laterally spaced skisprovided with wheels to roll on a flat surface, a rigid one-piece bodyfixedly mounted on the skis and formed with an internal hollow, armspivotally mounted at the sides of the body to pivot on a horizontalaxis, a motor mounted within the hollow of said body, meansinterconnecting said arms and said motor for oscillating the arms to andfro along the sides of the body, hand members freely pivotally mountedon the free ends of said arms to pivot in a vertical plane relative tosaid arms, and ski poles depending rigidly from said hand members andhaving their free ends frictionally engaging theflat surface alongsideof the skis to push the toy in a forward direction as said arms areoscillated to and fro, said pivotal mounting of said arms comprising ahorizontal shaft rotatively extended through said body and having endportions projecting beyond the sides of said body and upon which saidarms are fixedly mounted.

3. In a self-propelling toy having a pair of laterally spaced skisprovided with wheels to roll on a flat surface, a rigid one-piece bodyfixedly mounted on the skis and formed with an internal hollow, armspivotally mounted at the sides of the body to pivot on a horizontalaxis, a motor mounted within the hollow of said body, meansinterconnecting said arms and said motor for oscillating the arms to andfro along the sides of the body, hand members freely pivotally mountedon the free ends of said arms to pivot in a vertical plane relative tosaid arms, and ski poles depending rigidly from said hand members andhaving their free ends frictionally engaging the fiat surface alongsideof the skis to push the toy in a forward direction as said arm areoscillated to' and fro, 'said pivotal mounting of said arms comprising ahorizontal shaft rotatively extended through said body and having endportions projecting beyond the sides of said body and upon which saidarms are fixedly mounted, said interconnecting means comprising a drivencrank extending from said motor means Within said body, an arm extendedradially from said shaft within said body, and a link connected betweenthe free end of said arm and said driven crank.

GLAUCO POLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

